Lambs: 33,800. Change: 1616. Sheep: 11,200. Change: down 5300.

A small lift in lamb supply saw 33,800 head yarded at Ballarat for the last sale of 2018. Quality was from average to good, with a mix of all weights penned. Most of the regular buying group attended and operated more selectively in a primarily easier market. Lambs sold from $2 to $10/head easier, with the fresh lighter weight lambs selling a few dollars dearer in places. Heavy lambs reached $210, as heavy shorn lambs sold to $190/head. Restockers from Gladstone, SA, Kaniva, Birchip, Shepparton, Bendigo and local areas were active on turn out lambs, paying from $115 to $162 and from $44 to $112/head for lighter unshorn lambs. Additionally, they also paid from $120 to $170/head for shorn young lambs. Most restocker lambs were dearer. Light weight 2 score young lambs sold from $88 to $112/head. Light trade weight 2 and 3 score young lambs sold from $112 to $143/head. They averaged approximately 670c/kg cwt. Trade weight 3 and 4 score lambs sold from $130 to $155, with the heavier drafts selling from $147 to $168/head, making from 590c to 680c to average close to 650c/kg cwt. Heavy 3 and 4 score lambs sold from $168 to $210/head to average 660c/kg cwt. Trade weight shorn lambs sold from $131 to $160, with the export weights selling from $168 to $190/head, or approximately 650c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred hoggets sold from $94 to $147 and the Merino hoggets sold to $141/head. With 11,200 sheep yarded, numbers were back on last week. Quality was average and covered all weights. Majority of the usual heavy sheep buyers operated and prices were from close to firm to a few dollars dearer in places. Crossbred ewes made to $148 and Merino ewes sold to $130/head. Light weight 1 and 2 score sheep sold from $45 to $78. They averaged approximately 365c/kg cwt, while very light sheep sold from $3 to $55/head. Medium weight 2 and 3 score sheep sold from $60 to $120/head, or from 290c to 440c, while the Merino sheep averaged approximately 420c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes sold from $101 to $130, while heavy Merino wethers sold from $89 to $126 and the medium weights made from $83 to $87/head. The heavy Merino sheep averaged approximately 420c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred sheep sold from $89 to $148/head and averaged close to 390c/kg cwt. Crossbred wethers sold from $118 to $160 and rams of all weights made from $20 to $35/head.

SUCKERS

41 P & M Gristede Timboon $210.00; 38 R & L Sullivan Millbrook $203.00; 47 Fraser Partners Bo Peep $200.00; 43 La Rose Blowhard $198.00; 28 NE Suckling Kingston $198.00; 23 FC & KJ Walsh Coghills Creek $198.00; 40 MJ Treweek Ascot $188.00; 60 Eden Quality Clarendon $186.00; 44 KL Fletcher & AK Hains Waterloo $186.00; 94 C Goldsworthy Trust Mortlake $182.00; 51 KJ Moore Creswick $182.00; 51 Gervasoni Pty Ltd Smeaton $181.00; 66 Talland Bar Pastoral Co Yanakie $179.50; 108 J Mullane Waubra $178.00; 80 AML Ag Caramut $178.00; 76 A & J Cheeseman Windermere $176.00; 76 M & S Powell Windermere $175.00; 49 D & S Carter Tatyoon $175.00; 68 S Dridan Lakw Goldsmith $170.00; 74 Amberlyn Port Campbell $169.00; 46 Beaumonde Pastoral Co Ellerslie $168.00; 12 R & H Lusby Ampitheatre $166.00; 83 C & T McKenzie Timboon $164.00; 55 C & C Ruddle Ellerslie $163.00; 56 W, J & M Black Beremboke $162.00; 56 Narmbool Elaine $162.00; 48 I & G Smith Burrumbeet $162.00; 52 DJ & AM Wallace Woolsthorpe $160.00; 84 BL & AL Shanahan Greendale $159.50; 69 Yaloak Estate Ballan $159.00; 70 AC Douglass Woolsthorpe $156.00; 37 Kingoonya Pastoral Cp Birregurra $155.00; 46 P & C Canty Millbrook $154.50; 47 PA & DA Marshman Leslie Manor $150.00; 45 G Lockhart Irrewarra $142.00; 13 D Grant Mortlake $142.00

SHORN LAMBS

34 P & K Briscoe Connewarre $185.00; 82 GT Ford Glenlyon $168.00

XBRED SHEEP

11 AB, BL & DO Parker Mt Mercer $151.00; 22 M Clarre & GE Holdsworth Trawalla $148.00; 59 Mirrabook Ag Ombersley $145.00; 18 GA Ibbs Mt Moriac $145.00; 169 Cloverside Pastoral Co Weering $144.00; 46 LC & SE Marriott Leongattha $144.00; 35 Cornhill Partnership Ararat $140.00; 82 Warrawidgee Pastoral Pittong $136.00; 61 CE Alexander Bo Peep $135.00; 61 I & O Brajkovic Maude $134.00; 43 RG & GJ Veale Lake Bolac $133.00; 133 R Di Tomaso Kingston $130.00; 55 BLC Farms Kingston $130.00; 126 Stepnell Farms Lexton $126.00; 61 G Lockhart Irrewarra $126.00; 22 Mt Cavern Estate Ascot $122.00; 30 Franc Farming Beaufort $114.00; 164 Glenmadale P/L Nullawil $107.00

MERINO EWES

131 C & J Guthrie Donald $130.00; 66 Rosevale Ridge Maroona $116.00; 355 Langi Willi P/L Skipton $115.00; 31 W Mason & Son Cochranes Creek $115.00; 53 RE & JC Marshall Moyston $104.00; 55 AB, BL & DO Parker Mt Mercer $102.00

MERINO WETHERS

27 M Overington Moyston $138.00; 112 Shadow Partners Waubra $104.00

December 17. Yarding: 341. Change: 7.

Numbers were similar for the last prime sale at Ballarat for 2018, with 341 head yarded. Quality was average with several good pens of young cattle on offer. Vealers sold to the trade from 208c to 268c to be dearer in places, with restockers and feeders purchasing the bulk of the young cattle and paying from 200c to 286c/kg, they sold similar to feeders. Yearlings sold similar with the trade paying mostly from 180c to 255c, and feeders paying from 180c to 247c/kg. Medium weight grown steers eased 10c to the trade and sold to 240c, with restocking steers firm and selling from 215c to 249c/kg. Manufacturing dairy bred steers eased to 15c and sold from 130c to 179c, with crossbreds selling from 127c to 146c/kg. The C3 grown heifers improved to 15c and sold to 215c, with lighter heifers selling to 224c/kg. Better covered C and D muscle cows improved 5c to 10c and made to 205c, with most others easing 5c to 8c/kg. Heavy bulls sold similar and made from 182c to 220c with a single to restockers making 270c/kg. The next prime sale will be held at the CVLX, Miners Rest facility January 7. Vealers mostly sold to the trade from 208c to 268c, with restockers and feeders paying from 200c to 286c, with light D muscle young cattle selling from 140c to 186c/kg. Yearlings sold to the trade from 180c to 255c, plainer lots sold from 130c to 150c, with feeders paying from 180c to 247c and from 135c to 170c/kg for lighter plainer lots. Medium grown steers sold from 233c to 240c, and feeders paid from 215c to 249c/kg. Heavy grown heifers sold from a price of 208.6c to 215c, with lighter lots selling from 193c to 224c/kg. Heavy C muscle 3 and 4 score cows sold from 170c to 205c, the 2 score cows made 155c, with the D muscle 2 to 4 score cows selling from 172c to 205c/kg. Medium weight D2 cows sold from 150c to 184c with the D1 score cows selling from 110c to 145c/kg. Light E1 cows sold at 60c/kg. Restockers paid from 60c to 133c/kg for cows. B and C muscle bulls ranged from 182c to 220c, with young bulls selling from 181c to 206c/kg to feeders.